After Fingerworks hired salesmen and managers, Hagegard invested in September 2004, with a handful of others, raising a total of less than $1 million. "A month later, we got the first offer from Apple," for around $5 million. They held out, and began talks with Japanese manufacturers.

"Five months later, Apple tripled its offer, to around $14 million," Hagegard said. "We couldn't say no anymore," he added. "I got about seven-and-a-half times my money back, in less than half-a-year."